Complement your Steam Deck with these vital add-ons
While the Steam Deck is more expensive than most of the best Android handhelds, it can play thousands of Steam games on the go and even double as a desktop PC in a pinch. Whether you’ve picked up the original LCD model or the newer edition that boasts OLED technology, the Steam Deck is a brilliant handheld gaming console.
The Steam Deck ships with everything you need to start gaming, but choosing the right accessories will extend the battery, produce better audio, and support more players for long couch gaming sessions. This lineup includes the best accessories to compensate for the Steam Deck’s shortcomings and improve on its successes.
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Source: Samsung
Samsung Evo Select microSD Card
Best microSD card
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Samsung Evo Select microSD Card
Best microSD card
$20 $30 Save $10
microSD cards have lower data transfer speeds than your Steam Deck’s internal storage, but the Evo Select has an impressive read/write speed of 130MB/s; enough that you shouldn’t notice a noticeable slowdown when loading smaller games. It’s available in sizes up to 512GB, so you can expand the cheapest Steam Deck from a paltry 256GB to an impressive 768GB storage size for significantly less than upgrading to the next model.
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Anker PowerCore III 10K Wireless
Best power bank
$40 $50 Save $10
The Anker PowerCore III’s wireless charging feature is technically necessary for the Steam Deck (which doesn’t support wireless charging). Nevertheless, it has everything you need to double the battery life of the gaming handheld. This power bank has a 10,000mAh capacity and can comfortably fit in your coat pocket. It’s perfect if you don’t enjoy lugging multiple bulky accessories.
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Spigen GlassTR EZ Fit for Steam Deck
Best screen protector
The Spigen GlassTR EZ Fit’s tempered glass surface is rated up to 9H hardness (nearly the hardness of diamond) to prevent scratches and wear and tear. There’s also an oleophobic coating to prevent oils and fingerprint smudges from obscuring the display. Spigen ships the screen protector with an installation tray to ensure you get the perfect fit the first time.
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Spigen Rugged Armor for Steam Deck
Best case
Spigen’s Rugged Armor case for the Steam Deck strikes the perfect balance of protection, style, and price. If you’ve used a Rugged Armor product for your phone, you’ll know what to expect here. Spigen’s Steam Deck case will complement the console’s aesthetic perfectly and comes with a nifty wrist strap, so you can avoid dropping it in the first place. Pair it with a screen protector to keep your Steam Deck in perfect shape.
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JSAUX 5-in-1 Docking Station for Steam Deck
JSAUX’s docking station for the Steam Deck forgoes some extra features included with more expensive products in favor of providing essential features at an affordable price point. You get one Ethernet port, one USB-C port for charging, and two USB-A 2.0 ports. The HDMI output is 4K capable, and the max charging speed of 100W can easily handle the Steam Deck’s 45W cap.
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1MORE SonoFlow
$60 $100 Save $40
Choosing a good pair of headphones is crucial when taking your Steam Deck on the go, but many ANC (active noise cancellation) headphones are as expensive as a Steam Deck. The 1More SonoFlow are the best value ANC headphones you can buy right now, so you can fully enjoy your game’s audio, thanks to the headphone’s LDAC support. You also get up to 70 hours of playtime.
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GameSir T4 Cyclone Pro
The GameSir T4 Cyclone Pro is the perfect controller for your Steam Deck when it’s docked. It’s capable of wired and wireless play and is packed with premium features like Hall Effect joysticks and customizable triggers. It matches the Steam Deck’s aesthetic and is surprisingly affordable, so you can pick up two to enjoy couch games without breaking the bank. It’s also compatible with any PC or Android device.
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Keychron K3
$85 $90 Save $5
The Steam Deck’s portability and controller layout are great assets, but you can also enjoy mouse and keyboard games. The Keychron K3 is a portable mechanical keyboard that can be easily stored away when you’re using the Steam Deck in handheld mode. It also fits neatly into a bag if you want to play mouse and keyboard games on the go. Best of all, it’s wireless to keep cable tangles to a minimum.
The right Steam Deck accessories are invaluable
You can easily save money without sacrificing storage space by opting for a lower-storage Steam Deck and installing a MicroSD card. This is the most affordable way to increase your Steam Deck’s storage. The Samsung EVO Select’s 512GB model is a great option. It is the best compromise between price and storage size and will impact your Steam Deck experience the most.
The Steam Deck’s battery life is notoriously short. Valve estimates between 3 and 12 hours of battery on the latest model; this isn’t enough if you’re traveling a lot. The Anker PowerCore III nearly doubles the time you’ll receive and won’t take up much space in your bag.
A good screen protector and case are crucial accessories for any handheld, and Spigen’s offerings are the best you can get. Spigen’s case has the expected durability, with handy extras like a wrist strap to prevent falls. The screen protector also has an oleophobic coating that prevents fingerprint smudges and an alignment tray for foolproof installation.
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